Steam-engine.



W. T. BLAKE.

STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.15, 191s.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

auuzwtoz Tlillianzlifihlke COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 410-, WASHINGTON, D. C.

W. T. BLAKE.

STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.15, 191s.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH cm. WASHINGTON. D. c.

IINIED STATES WILLIAM T. BLAKE, F MARIETTA, OHIO.

STEAM-ENGINE.

inseam.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2st, 1914.

To all whom it may cOncera:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM T. BLAKE, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Marietta, in the county of Washington and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam engines of the compound double action type employing a high pressure cylinder and a low pressure cylinder, the object of the invention being to simplify and improve the construction and operation of such engines and obtain greater efiiciencv and economy for'the same bore and stroke.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will hereinafter be more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through a compound steam engine embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line l t of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal section through one of the valves to illustrate the operating means therefor.

The high pressure cylinder 1 and the low pressure cylinder 2, as illustrated in Fig. 1, are arranged end to end or with their longitudinal axes coincident.

3 designates the piston in the high pressure cylinder and 4 the piston in low pressure cylinder, both of said pistons being fast on a common piston rod 5.

6 designates a skeleton yoke which is inserted between and connects the two cylinders 1 and 2, the said yoke being provided with end flanges 7 and 8 which are bolted or otherwise fastened to corresponding flanges 9 and 10 at the adjacent ends of the two cylinders. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the cylinder heads 11 and 12 are formed on and constitute a part of the yoke 6 as illustrated in Fig. 1.

13 and 1 1 designate stufling boxes on the heads 11 and 12 through which the piston rod 5 passes. 15 designates another stuffing box on the outer head 16 of the low pressure cylinder through which the enlarged por tion 1'? of the piston rod passes. The outer end of the high pressure cylinder 1 is closed by a head 18.

Extending longitudinally of the outside of the high pressure cylinder 1 is a hollow cylindrical valve casing 19 having a central offset 20 in which the valve operating crank arm 21 works, said casing 19 being provided at the opposite ends thereof with bridged annular channels 22 which permit the steam to flow around the outside of the valve. The valve which is of the sliding type comprises a tubular cylindrical body 23 the external diameter of which is less than the internal diameter of the valve casing 19 thereby leaving an annular space 24L entirely surrounding the valve between the ends thereof. At each end the valve is enlarged to form a valve head 25 adapted to cover and uncover the end ports 26 and 27 leading into the low pressure cylinder 1. Centrally the valve 23 formed with an opening 28 extending transversely and diametrically therethrough said opening being inclosed by a surrounding wall 29 which leaves space at the opposite sides thereof to enable the steam to pass longitudinally through the entire length of the valve 23 which is left open at both ends for that purpose. The opening 28 is designed to receive a sliding block or bearing 30 to which the valve operating arm 21 is jointed as shown in Fig. 1. In exactly the same manner the low pressure cylinder 2 is provided with a hollow cylindrical valve casing 31 in which is a tubular slide valve 32 corresponding exactly to the valve 23 with the possible exception that the valve chamber 31 and valve 32 are-larger and of greater capacity than the corresponding parts 19 and 23 above described in connection with the high pressure cylinder. The valve 32 is provided with the enlarged heads 33 and 3 1 to cover and uncover the ports 35 and 36 of the low pressure cylinder. The valve 31 is, like the valve 23, provided with the central inclosed opening or slot 37 to receive the slide bearing or block 38 to which the valve operating arm 39 is jointed.

The live steam under full pressure is admitted through a pipe 4-0 to the interior of the valve casing 19 and around the outside of the valve body 23. In passing from the high pressure cylinder to the low pressure cylinder, the steam of reduced pressure passes through a tubular connection or neck 41 which is shown as formed separately from the two valve chambers and provided with end flanges 42 and 43 bolted or otherwise fastened to flanges 4A and 4-5 at the meeting ends of the valve chambers 19 and S1. The exhaust steam from the low pressure cylinder 2 passes around the outside or the valve body 32 and outwardly through one or more exhaust ports 46 either to the atmosphere or a suitable heater. The valve casing 31, like the valve casing 19, is provided with a central offset or enlargement L7 to provide room for the valve operating crank 39.

In operation the steam under full pressure enters at and entirely surrounds the valve body 32, passing from the space 24 through one of the ports 26 or 27 and acting against the piston 3 at one side thereof. The steam in passing from the high pressure cylinder either goes directly through the connection L1 or -passes longitudinally through the valve body 23 in order to reach the tubular connection 21 in accordance with the position of the slide valve 23. The steam at reduced pressure then enters the low pressure cylinder 2 and in one position of the valve said steam passes directly into the cylinder 2 while in the other position of the,

valve 32 the steam passes longitudinally through said valve from end to end into the opposite end of the cylinder 2. The exhaust steam from the low pressure cylinder passes around the outside of the valve body 32 and outwardly through one of the exhaust ports 46. It will thus be seen that each of the tubular slide or piston valves is always surrounded by steam and the volume of steam is separated from the expansion chambers of the high and low pressure cylinders only by the thickness of the cylinder wall thereby greatly economizing in the consumption of steam and adding materially to the efliciency of the engine. Furthermore, the steam in passing from one cylinder to the other has an exceedingly short and direct course to follow, still further adding to the eliiciency of the engine. The particular form of high pressure and low pressure valve, enables the ports of both cylinders to be arranged at the extreme ends of the expansion chambers this being productive of a short coupled and compact engine.

What I claim is:

A steam engine comprising a high pressure cylinder and a low pressure cylinder having coincident longitudinal axes, pistons in said cylinders fast on a common piston rod, cylindrical valve chambers extending longitudinally of said cylinders and separated from the expansion chambers only by the thickness of the cylinder walls, an oblique hollow neck connecting the adjacent ends of said valve chambers, and tubular open ended cylindrical piston valves in said valve chambers each comprising a tight fitting head at each end, and a connecting body the external diameter of which is less than the internal diameter of the respective valve chamber, enablin the high pressure steam to enter around the high pressure valve and the low pressure steam to pass longitudinally through both high and low pressure valves and the exhaust to pass around the low pressure valve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM T. BLAKE.

itnesses DAVID O. GRAY, W. J. DUrToN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

